JSE off to rousing start – Friday

Jamaica stocks started trading on Friday where they left off on Thursday with both the main market and the junior market indices rising. Caribbean Cream traded at a new high of $6.78 with 56,000 units as investors continue to respond to the company’s first quarter results.
The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 1,506.48 points to 179,177.69, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index gained 1,347.06 points to 161,258.48, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index climbed 1,499.13 point to close at 171,976.49 points andthe junior market index gained 19.20 points to 2,177.83.
Trading after 75 minutes of the market’s opening resulted in 23 securities changing hands, accounting for a volume of 1,330,966 shares with the average number of shares traded amounts to 63,379 units compared to an average of 45,559 units on Thursday. Trading has so far resulted in 10 stocks gaining and 6 declining as stocks trading over 100,000 units include Cable & Wireless that traded 167,000 at $1.12, Consolidated Bakeries traded 400,000 shares at $2.10, Honey Bun with 185,000 units traded at $5.60 and Lasco Manufacturing with 236,850 shares trading at $5.05. Scotia Group gained $1.10 while trading 18,490 shares at $31.90 while Pan Jamaican Investments lost $1 in trading 27,900 units at $24.